The present application is related to application Ser. No. 312,166, entitled "Billing Data Display System and Terminal Used Therein for a Closed Circuit Television System", filed on Feb. 21, 1989 and commonly assigned.
The present invention relates to a closed circuit TV system (hereinafter referred to as a "CCTV system") in which the central facility is connected through cables to a number of terminals, so that video signals are transmitted to the terminals. More particularly, the present invention relates to a billing data display system therefore in which monetary charge data (a bill) for the use of chargeable equipment and/or for the reception of pay television programs at the terminals are displayed on the television sets.
The CCTV system is employed, for instance, in a hotel. In the system, whenever a pay television program is received by any one of the terminals installed in the rooms of the hotel, the monetary charge for it is stored, as monetary charge data, in a computer at the central facility. The monetary charge data is determined according to the time period of reception, so that for instance when the guest checks out of the hotel, the monetary charge data together with the hotel charges is printed out for him.
However, with the conventional system, it is impossible for him to know the monetary charges for the reception of pay television programs, for the eating and drinking of food in the refrigerator in the room or at the restaurant in the hotel, for the use of a computerized game in the room and other charges other than the lodging (room) charge before he checks out of the hotel.